TWO SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES IN ONE

Concentrating Photovoltaic Project Underway at California College
Todd Woody, March 18, 2010 (NY Times)

"The nation’s first big concentrating photovolatic power plant is under construction in the California desert.

"SolFocus, a Silicon Valley startup, is building the one-megawatt solar farm for Victor Valley College in Victorville, a desert community northeast of Los Angeles."

From sofoinc via YouTube

"The company builds large solar panels that contain small mirrors that concentrate sunlight onto tiny, high-efficiency solar cells. Though more expensive than conventional solar cells, they use a fraction of the silicon and produce more electricity. That means less land is needed for a SolFocus power plant than one deploying conventional photovoltaic panels.

"The SolFocus panels are mounted on trackers that follow the sun throughout the day. While SolFocus has built power plants in Europe, the California project is its first solar farm in the United States. Victor Valley College selected SolFocus after receiving competitive bids from several companies that install conventional photovoltaic panels and thin-film solar systems…The SolFocus power plant will supply about 30 percent of the college’s overall electricity demand."

Close-up of a SolFocus concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) panel. (click to enlarge)

"SolFocus’ technology needs strong, direct sunlight to maximize electricity production…[I]n desert regions, the company’s technology generates electricity at prices competitive with traditional photovoltaic panels.

"The 122-panel arrays will cover six acres at the college and the project is expected to be completed by early May… SolFocus also has two other megawatt-sized power plants undergoing permitting in the desert…Last year the company signed a deal to install 10 megawatts of its solar arrays in Greece."